What should I feed my desert tortoise? Vegas Babies backyard Tortoise habitat (part 2)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
- Welcome to Ginger Vegas
In this video I share my backyard plants and irrigation I have for my mojave desert tortoises. Different tortoises will have different diets.
Thompson seedless grapevines, mallow, hibiscus, crawling roses, climbing roses, ladybank roses, honeysuckle and clover are the plants they mostly feed off of.
I do feed them once or twice a week some of these items; romaine, butter lettuce, green leaf, red leaf, green beans, sugar snap peas, broccoli, cucumber, banana, apple or whatever fruit or veg I have in my fridge.
A good rule of thumb in feeding the babies is to chop things smaller than the size of their head. So nothing bigger than their head if they are under 2 years old. Ive seen them only eat what they want. They have a strong sense of smell. I've actually seen Charlie hiss at something I gave him that he didnt like!
Check out these sites for plant advice
Edible plants for tortoises
here are 3 great resources
1
www.thepetcabin...
2
www.thetortois...
3
azeah.com/rept...
During the hot summer months I typically run my irrigation 4 times a day. I do have a wonderful gardener that I can recommend to anyone living in Las Vegas.
Thank you for watching!
Great information thankyou ❤
Thank you, Lisa! Happy to hear that!
Thanks for your comment!
I wish everyone took this amount of care for their tortoises! Very good to see!
Thank you Hoosier Turtles and Tortoises! I do hope to inspire people with desert tortoises. I hope to put a spotlight on these beautiful little creatures!
If I can help inspire anyone I will be happy!
Thank you for your comment!
I’ll be getting a desert tortoise soon and have nothing currently growing that it can eat and id like to start a
Tortoise dining section. Could you please recommend quick growing plants for starters to me as I get more established and I can add more later. This was so helpful. I love your setup. Lucky tortoises!
Thank you for your comment!
For quick growing tortoise plants I would recommend any mallow plants as well as ground or crawling roses. They eat the leaves and flowers on both. I always give my guys romaine, green beans and sugar snap peas in addition to the plants even now a few times a week. Im very happy for you and your new tortoise!
Enjoy!
Thank you so much. Also thank you for your response on my question on your other post. Unfortunately, since then I lost one of my 2 yr old baby turtles. I am nursing another 2 yr old. Getting much better. I want to plant more vegetation for them to eat in the yard and this was very helpful information.
Im so sorry to hear you lost one of yours. It happens sometimes. They can be fragile and a variety of things can go wrong.
Im glad I could help out with some vegetation ideas.
Let me know if I can help in any way. I hope your 2 yr old bounces back soon.
I am so sorry crafty mom I really hate to hear about losses can I ask what happen? I myself did the same I planted so many plants I don't know if you heard of the Tortoise Table? but they let you know what plants are safe to eat and what are poison and to avoid I bought so many seeds and plants at green thumb I plant I went kinda crazy because it was so easy knowing what is good and what is not so i bought more than I should off
Yes, there are quite a few ref sites to make sure you are planting safe tortoise plants. I sited a couple in my description section of this video.
beautiful torts.
Thanks Tylor. They're such beautiful zen creatures.
Thank you for watching and thanks for your comment!
I like that small pool area with river rocks
Thank you! I created that lil idea when a plant died and it was still being irrigated. The rocks can hold the water long enough for the tortoise to get a drink. But you dont have to worry about stagnant or dirty water.
I have fun making my backyard a nice place for both us and our tortoises.
Thanks for watching and thanks for your comment!
Nice set up...
Thank you! I've enjoyed adapting to my tortoises and their needs. They are such zen animals!
Thanks for your comment!
Thank you for the video, very helpful!
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for viewing!
I love Charlie
He's a really cool guy.
Thanks for the comment Ruben!
@@GingerVegas I have African turtle 🐢 her name is KUPA I love her too
Thats cool!
Hello to Kupa!
Thank you so much!
You're welcome! Im happy to share with a like minded tortoise person!
Charlie is such a handsome guy. My Pixie would love to meet up with him
I love ❤ Charley he's beautiful his eyes
Thank you for your comment! Yes, Charlie has been with me over 30 years and he is a sweetie! He just doesnt like to share his space. Some older tortoises are more territorial. Some people here in Vegas have multiple adult tortoises that live happily together. It is helpful to keep them separated by gender. He came to me as an adult and I think he had a rough childhood.
Thanks again!
@@GingerVegas First and for most I Love Tortoises, Turtles, Sea Turtles, I have Two Russian Tortoises Boy and Girl They are my Life So You think charley had a rough childhood ? oh that makes me so sad they don't hurt nobody I don't understand how people could hurt them. So you suggest I keep them part my Russians? I agree Was reading on the internet how the male could stress out my female so if I wanna keep them together I would have to get two more females I Read this so I don't know but I love your tortoises keep making videos I love them
Did you get another female? How are things working out?
U should have at least 10 turtle at your backyard look more fantastic
lol.....6 is enough for us. I do know what you are saying and there are people that live here in Vegas that have many tortoises. Most of the other states that allow you to have a tortoise on let you have one.
Thanks for your comment.
Hi Ginger-I’ve watched your videos many times. You’ve helped me with my 2 6 yr old female tortoises. Currently, 1-28-24 they are both hibernating, however one of them is moving around a bit. Should I take her out and feed her, or leave her alone. They are in boxes, under my desk. It worries me because they’ve been in their boxes for about 6 weeks now. Thank you.
Ok, 2 and 6 years old. Sometimes they burrow around a little. They key to keeping them indoors in a box is to keep it dark and cool. I'm wondering if there is too much noise? Or maybe it's too warm? Mine around that age typically are kept in my unused bathroom bathtub is closed boxes, in the dark between 65 and 70. I will put them outside in March. That will 5 months of sleep for them.
So maybe put them in slightly cooler quieter place for another month or 2 before putting them outdoors. Common for them to do the digging/burrowing while hibernating.
Hope this helps. Let me know if I wasn't clear or if you have another question. I'm so happy your babies have such a caring mom.
@@GingerVegas thank you(:
I'm in arizona where it gets to 115 degrees will this plants survive?
Yes it should. Our temperatures get that high as well. I water late evening and early morning. Grapevine need s lot of water, sun and they are fast growing! Mallow is a desert plant but still needs water.
I live in Northern Calif. I have 2 California desert tortoises, they're 7 years old, wiegh about 5lbs. They live outside, but now that it's getting colder I want to bring them in. They've gotten too big to go back into their winter habitat. What do you do with yours during the cold winters in Vegas?
Makes sense. I take mine indoors too. I put them in cardboard boxes and put them either in the garage or somewhere dark, cool and quiet inside. Typically 55 to 60 degrees. Technically the mojave desert tortoises hibernate in 40 to 60 but I worry thats too cold. I put my 2 larger tortoises in separate boxes and 4 toddlers in one box together. They sleep fine and I place them outdoors in March right before they wake up.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for watching and thanks for that great question!
@@GingerVegas it feels so weird to put them in a box and let them sleep. This is our 7th year together, in the Winter I was putting them in their indoor habitat, with lights during the day, and food on a regular basis. They seemed ok with this arrangement. Not feeding or watering, they’ll be ok? I’ll give it a try. I was thinking of putting them in their kiddie pool in my office. I’ll definitely cover the pool tight and be as quiet as possible. Do you think this is ok, or better in small, separate boxes? Thank you (-:
Mojave desert tortoises hibernate for about 5 months. Not all tortoises hibernate. Some brumate which is to kinda go in and out of a long sleep. Yours are still young. I might just keep doing what you have been doing if it worked. That's what I did with mine in there indoor habitats their 1st 2 years. Now they all get the same treatment. I do however check on them a lot and they are typically sound asleep for a few months. A small covered baby pool in your office would be a good place to start. I'd def keep them together.
Keep me posted. I'm curious. Love that you love them like I love mine.
But yes, in the beginning I felt odd but I've been boxing my oldest Charlie for over 30 years.
I found on Arizona wildlife a validation on this for process for domestic desert tortoises.
My friend in so cal does the same. Boxes and puts him in the garage.
Some define brumate as what reptiles do as compared to hibernation is what mammals do. However brumate is also defined as going in and out of sleeping. Mojave tortoises actually go into a deep sleep for months and this is why many call it hibernation. Years ago I read on this quite a bit because I found the terminology confusing. So yes, my tortoises do sleep for a few months straight without eating, peeing or pooping. They leak a little. I always check on them throughout their hibernation.
Hope this helps.
Hi Ginger Vegas, how are you. My daughter found a desert tortoise last year walking down a busy st. (Jones and Vegas dr). Had to be someones pet but nobody claimed him. He is about 8" or so long, kinda like little foot. They keep him in the house . I'm wondering if you know anybody that wants to give him a proper home like the one you have.
Hey Mike. I just put out some feelers and I'll let you know soon if someone can take him. Sounds like he is 5 to 10 years old. I glad your daughter found him and saved him from the cars. He is fine inside for the time being. Some people let their torts spend a lot of time indoors.
If you decide to keep him I can help with any concerns you have.
@@GingerVegas thank you for the reply
so far my interested friends live in Cali. Lets give it more time. Please let me know if you find him a home.
@@GingerVegas ok , Thank you
I'm interested if you still have him!
Hello! When do i stop feeding my desert tortoise??
Hello Conrad!
The short answer is they should stop eating 3 weeks prior to hibernation so they don't sleep all winter with food in their stomach.
Variables are; how much sun do they get, how much outdoor plant food is there in their habitat and what's weather like?
They naturally slow down prior to hibernation and they reduce their food intake. So basically if it's warm enough for them to come out then I will feed them and slowly reduce the amount.
I will most likely stop feeding mine the end of October early November.
I kept my babies inside under a heat and uv lamp their first couple years due to their small body mass and I don't allow them to hibernate. Most dont make it in the wild because of this. They all live happily outdoors now.
Once they are sound asleep end of November early Dec and it's around 60 degrees I move them indoors in large cardboard boxes and place in cool dark quite places like the garage.
Lots of info, hope it helped.
Let me know if you have any other questions!